How child health stations work
The AMC Clinical is 16 assessed stations plus rest stations: 2 minutes of reading, then 8 minutes in the station. Fourteen stations are scored, and a pass needs a pass on 9 or more of them. Each station gets a global rating on a 7-point scale, informed by 2 to 5 key steps and 3 to 5 assessment domains. Read how the AMC Clinical is marked for the detail.
In most paediatric stations the role-player is a parent. Your task is to take a history from them, explain a diagnosis or plan, or address a concern. Examiners look for a calm, structured approach that keeps the child's safety central.
Common paediatric stations
| Station | Key points |
|---|---|
| Febrile infant | Age under 3 months needs hospital assessment; check hydration, rash, irritability |
| Asthma | Action plan, spacer technique, preventer use, triggers, school plan |
| Developmental concern | Milestones across domains, hearing, red flags, referral |
| Vaccine hesitancy | Listen, address concerns respectfully, National Immunisation Program |
| Gastroenteritis | Hydration assessment, oral rehydration, red flags |
| Child protection | Inconsistent history, mandatory reporting, child safety first |
The paediatric history
- Presenting complaint from the parent's view.
- Birth history: gestation, delivery, neonatal problems.
- Feeding, growth and weight.
- Development across gross motor, fine motor, speech and social domains.
- Immunisation status.
- Family and social history, including who lives at home.
Explaining to worried parents
- Acknowledge the parent's concern first.
- Explain the diagnosis and what to expect in plain words.
- Give a written action plan or written information.
- Tell them exactly when to come back or call an ambulance.
- Check understanding with teach-back.
Worked station: febrile 6-week-old
Station walk-through · Child health
Candidate brief: A mother brings her 6-week-old son with a temperature of 38.3 C at home. Take a history and explain your plan to the mother (8 minutes).
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:30 | Introduce, acknowledge the mother's worry |
| 0:30 to 4:00 | Fever details, feeding, wet nappies, vomiting, rash, lethargy, breathing; birth and maternal GBS; sick contacts |
| 4:00 to 7:00 | Explain that fever under 3 months needs hospital assessment today, including blood, urine and possibly lumbar puncture tests |
| 7:00 to 8:00 | Arrange transfer, answer questions, check understanding |
Where candidates lose marks: reassuring and sending the baby home, and not explaining why tests are needed.
Using the 2 minutes of reading time
- Read the setting: general practice, ward, emergency department or telehealth changes what is realistic.
- Underline each task and its time allocation, and plan your 8 minutes to match.
- Note the patient's age, sex and any cue in the brief (a medicine, an occupation, a family member present).
- Write a short list of the 3 diagnoses you must separate and the one dangerous condition you must not miss.
- In a paediatric station, note the child's age, as normal values and red flags depend on it.
- Decide your opening sentence so you start calmly.
Check the current AMC candidate information for what you may bring or write during reading time. Whatever you plan, keep it short: there is no time to read a long list in the room.
High-yield stations to prepare
Paediatric practice stations are mostly parent conversations, from acute illness to development and child protection.
| Station | Likely task | Key step examiners look for |
|---|---|---|
| Fever in a 6-week-old | History | Hospital assessment under 3 months |
| Asthma: spacer and action plan | Counselling | Spacer technique and written plan |
| Toddler not talking | History | Hearing and developmental red flags |
| Vomiting and diarrhoea | Management | Hydration assessment and oral rehydration |
| Parent hesitant about vaccines | Counselling | Respectful exploration of concerns |
| Bruising in a 4-month-old | Management | Child protection and mandatory reporting |
| Limping 4-year-old | History | Septic arthritis versus transient synovitis |
| Jaundiced newborn on day 5 | Management | Bilirubin and feeding |
| Febrile seizure | Counselling | Reassurance and first aid advice |
| Barking cough at night | Management | Croup severity and oral dexamethasone |
| New type 1 diabetes | Counselling | Hypoglycaemia and sick day rules |
| Baby not gaining weight | History | Feeding, growth chart and causes |
A one-week practice plan
| Day | Practice |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Read the structure on this page and run 2 child health stations untimed with a partner |
| Day 2 | Run 3 stations with the 2-minute reading timer and an 8-minute station timer |
| Day 3 | Record 2 stations on your phone; watch for jargon, interruptions and missed tasks |
| Day 4 | Swap roles: play the patient and the examiner, marking against the checklist |
| Day 5 | Run 3 new stations back to back with a 2-minute gap, as on exam day |
| Day 6 | Repeat the stations where your global rating was below 4 |
| Day 7 | Rest, then review your notes on the common mistakes below |
Our station bank lets you filter by discipline and station type, so you can follow this plan for each area of the exam.
Common mistakes in child health stations
- Using adult doses or thresholds.
- Missing immunisation status.
- Ignoring child protection cues.
- Talking over the parent instead of to them.
- Not safety-netting clearly.
Practise these as timed stations with a partner playing the patient and another marking against the checklist. Each of our child health stations has a candidate brief, role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and a model approach.
Free sample child health stations
Candidate briefs from our AMC Clinical station bank. Read the task, plan your 8 minutes, then open the marking checklist.
Fever in a 6-week-old baby (8 minutes)
You are a resident in a paediatric emergency department. Ms Leilani Kahale has brought her 6-week-old son, Noah, because he has a fever.
Triage: T 38.4°C (rectal), HR 175, RR 50, capillary refill 3 seconds.
Tasks:
- Take a history from Ms Kahale (5 minutes).
- Explain to her what needs to happen next (3 minutes).
The role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and model approach open with a plan.
Asthma: spacer and action plan (8 minutes)
You are a GP. Mr Daniel Harris brings his 7-year-old daughter Ruby, who was seen in the emergency department two nights ago with an asthma flare. She is now well.
Discharge letter: 'Mild-to-moderate asthma attack. Treated with salbutamol and oral prednisolone. Needs GP review, preventer and action plan.'
Task: educate Mr Harris about Ruby's asthma, including inhaler technique and a written action plan (8 minutes).
The role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and model approach open with a plan.
Practise child health stations free
Every child health station in our bank
The bank holds 12 child health stations across 3 station types: Counselling and education (4), Diagnosis and management (4), History taking (4). Each one has a candidate brief, role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and model approach.
- Asthma: spacer and action planCounselling and education
- Baby not gaining weightHistory taking
- Barking cough at nightDiagnosis and management
- Bruising in a 4-month-oldDiagnosis and management
- Febrile seizure: talking to a parentCounselling and education
- Fever in a 6-week-old babyHistory taking
- Jaundiced newborn on day 5Diagnosis and management
- Limping 4-year-oldHistory taking
- New type 1 diabetes in a childCounselling and education
- Parent hesitant about vaccinesCounselling and education
- Toddler not talkingHistory taking
- Vomiting and diarrhoea in a toddlerDiagnosis and management
Common questions
Will there be a real child in the station?
Usually a role-player plays a parent, and findings about the child are given in the brief or on cards.
Do I need to know Australian immunisation schedules?
Yes. Knowing the National Immunisation Program helps in vaccine and catch-up stations.
What if I suspect abuse in a station?
Keep the child safe, document carefully and explain mandatory reporting obligations.
Sources
Clinical content is summarised from current Australian guidance at the date above. Guidelines change, so always check the latest edition.